Combined salt-and-pepper shaker



March 29, 1949.

COMBINED SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER Filed Jan. 24, 1945 N grwam too OI/a/E 50/500 F W %M o. E. DOLSON 2,465,637

Patented Mar. 29, 1949 COlHBINED SALT-AND-PEPPER SHAKER Oval E. Dolson, Eldon, Mo.

Application January 24, 1945, Serial No. 574,287

The present invention relates'to new and usean improvements in condiment holders and more particularlyv to a combined salt and pepper shaker, and the invention has for its primary object to provide a container having separate compartments therein'for the salt and pepper and a sifter cap for closing said compartments.

An important object of the present invention is to provide simple and practical means for securing the sifter top in position in the container.

More specifically the invention comprises a container having a vertically extending partition therein separating the same into compartments adapted for holding salt and pepper and in which the upper portion of the partition is formed with a recess adapted for receiving a stem projecting downwardly from the underside of a sifter top or cap for securing the cap in position at the open end of the container.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a combined salt and pepper container of this character embodying means for securing a sifter top in position therein without necessitating the use of springs, push :buttons, slides or other mechanism whereby to enable manufacture of the article at a relatively low cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of this character which may be manufactured from suitable light weight inexpensive material and including various colored plastic and which at the same time is neat and attractive in appearance and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on a line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the sifter top.

Figure 5 is a top plan view with the sifter top removed.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the sifter top with the friction retaining stem, and

Figure 7 is a group fragmentary sectional view of a modified construction for attaching the sifter in position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a container which may be manufactured of any suitable material and'oi any designed shape.

The top of the container isopen and a vertical ly extending partition 6 is secured in the con tainer or formed integrally therewith to separate the container into compartments 1 and 8 adapted to respectively contain salt and pepper.

The top of the partition 6 terminates below the upper edge of the container aswill be apparent from an inspection of Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings and on which is adapted to rest a cap or top 9 with its upper surface flush with the upper edge of the container. The edge of the cap 9 is formed with notches l9 adapted to form sifter openings for the respective compartments 1 and 8. The notches Ill comprise two series of notches which are diametrically opposite each other whereby when in use one series will be positioned upwardly so that little, if any, of the condiment of the related compartment will be dispensed while condiment from the lowermost compartment is dispensed.

A rib ll rises from the top of the cap 9 to provide finger-gripping means for removing the cap from the container.

An elongated recess 12 extends vertically in the upper portion of the partition 6 and is adapted to receive an elongated stem or peg l3 projecting downwardly from the underside of the cap 9. The peg l3 is split longitudinally as shown at M to provide a pair of resilient fingers I5 adapted for frictional engagement with the walls of the recess I2 whereby to frictionally retain the cap in position on the container. For simplicity of manufacture, the cap, rib and peg may be made of one piece of material, as shown.

If desired, the peg l3 may be tapered to provide more efiective frictional engagement with the walls of the recess 12 whereby to frictionally retain the cap in position on the container.

In Figure '7 I have illustrated a modified construction for securing the cap IS in position on the container H, the cap having a threaded stem l8 on its underside adapted for threaded engagement in a socket l9 formed in the upper edge of the partition 20. The cap [6 is provided with sifter openings 2 I.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the container 5 may be constructed of inexpensive material, such as chinaware or plastics of various colors to improve the attractiveness of the article and the container likewise may be constructed of any desired shape.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, the peg l3 holds the cap 9 in position by frictional engagement so that the cap may be removed by gripping the rib II with the fingers and turning and loosening the peg iii in the recess l2 whereby the cap may be readily removed for refilling the chambers I and 8.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure '7, the cap I6 is removed by unscrewing the stem I 8 from the socket 19.

It is believed that the details of construction,

advantages and manner of use of the device will L be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation. Having thus described the invention, what'I claim is:

A salt and pepper shaker comprising a container includin a shell, said shell being open at the upper end and having a closed integral bottom and integral side walls, a diametral vertical partition integral with the bottom and shell and dividing the same into two compartments, said partition terminating short of said upper end of said shell, said partition being formed with" an elongated vertically-extending recess opening through said upper portion thereof, a sifter cap positioned in the shell flush with the top thereof -c and resting solely on said-upper portion of said partition, marginal portions of said cap being formed with two diametrically-opposed series of notches providing dispensing openings for said compartments, said series of notches being adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of said par- 4 tition, an elongated and vertically-split resilient peg formed integrally with said cap and extending downwardly from the under side thereof, said peg being frictionally engaged in said recess to retain said cap inplace, and a diametral handle integral with said cap and extending axially upwardly from the upper surface thereof medially of said notch series.

OVAL E. DOLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Oct. 11, 1932 

